Yahoo is teaming up with British Telecom to introduce an internet phone service that sits on top of Yahoo's Instant Messenger programme.
Yahoo IM is one of the three most popular messaging programmes (the others are AOL IM and ICQ). Messaging is hugely popular in the US, and catching on fast elsewhere. Like text/SMS messaging, it has spread from a largely teen user base.
The service will be launched in the UK, where messaging is not yet as prevalent as it is in the US, and will utilise VOIP (voice over internet protocol).
Yahoo News reports:
BT cited recent studies that say one in every 10 IM conversations end in a phone call. "BT is responding to this cultural change in how we communicate by making it simpler for people to use the various services," said Gavin Patterson, BT Group MD for Consumer Ventures.
BT said that from an IM dialogue box a user can send the other party an instant message, e-mail or engage in a voice conversation through the PC.
A call to another BT VoIP user's PC is free. A call from the computer to a landline or mobile phone carries the same tariff as BT's normal BT Together telephone service.
BT said the service is available to over 19 million UK consumers with a BT line, and the software will be made freely available.
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